Many functions of modern devices in automotive, consumer and industrial applications, such as converting electrical energy and driving an electric motor or an electric machine, rely on power semiconductor devices.
For example, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) and diodes, to name a few, have been used for various applications including, but not limited to switches in power supplies and power converters.
A power semiconductor device usually comprises a power semiconductor die configured to conduct a load current along a load current path between two load terminals of the die. Further, the load current path may be controlled, e.g., by means of an insulated electrode, sometimes referred to as gate electrode. For example, upon receiving a corresponding control signal from, e.g., a driver, the control electrode may set the power semiconductor device in one of a conducting state and a blocking state.
After the power semiconductor die has been manufactured, it is usually installed within in a package, e.g., in a manner that allows the package with the die to be arranged within an application, e.g., in a power converter, e.g., such that the die may be coupled to a support, e.g., a printed circuit board (PCB).
To this end, a technology commonly referred to as surface-mount technology (SMT) is known, wherein this notion may generally refer to producing electronic circuits in which the components are mounted or placed directly onto the surface of a PCB. Such a component is hence referred to as surface-mount-device (SMD) component. For example, this technology has replaced, at least in some application areas, the so-called through-hole technology construction method of fitting components with wire leads into holes in the circuit board.
Generally, an SMD component can be smaller than its through-hole counterpart. It may have short pins or leads of various styles, flat contacts (also known as “terminal pads”), a matrix of solder balls (e.g., a so-called Ball Grid Array (BGA)), and/or terminations on the package body of the component.
Exemplary configurations of an SMD package are known from documents DE 10 2015 101 674 A1 and DE 10 2015 120 396 A1. Each of these SMD packages encloses a power semiconductor die and has a package body with a package top side, a package footprint side and package sidewalls, wherein the package sidewalls extend from the package footprint side to the package top side. The die has a first load terminal and a second load terminal and is configured to block a blocking voltage applied between said load terminals. The packages each further comprise a lead frame structure configured to electrically and mechanically couple the package to a support with the package footprint side facing to the support. The lead frame structure comprises outside terminals extending out of the package sidewall and electrically connected with the first load terminal of the die. Further, each of the packages comprise a top layer arranged at the package top side and being electrically connected with the second load terminal of the die.
Accordingly, each of these SMD packages known from documents DE 10 2015 101 674 A1 and DE 10 2015 120 396 A1 may exhibit a package top side that faces away from the support and that is equipped with a top layer to which a heat dissipation device, e.g., a heat sink, may be mounted. Thereby, heat can be removed away from the package that encloses the die. Such kind of packages may hence be referred to as a SMD-Top Side Cooling (SMD-TSC) packages.
The primary function of the heat dissipation device is to remove heat away from the package body. To this end, it is known to couple a heat sink to the top layer, wherein the heat sink may be electrically insulated from the top layer. Means that are necessary to provide for the electrical insulation may, however, dampen the heat transfer from the top layer to the heat sink. Simultaneously, it has to be ensured that the arrangement of the heat dissipation device and the package body fulfills safety requirements regarding, e.g., a minimum clearance distance and a minimum creepage length.